St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-30
GEoReE1sM IN NgENNEsOTA.
A minneapolis VOter COmmends
representative Lucas and Says

A minneapolis Voter Comments
Representative Lucas and Says
$50 Aheads''
To the Editor of the Globe:
Under the head of "Georgesm in Mime
sota' a morning paper of Friday takes up the
Lucas memorial is, the law proposed
by our representative, Lucas, relating to the
ownership of coal lands 1t refers to the
astonishing fact that this "so-called me-
mortal has been before the legislature only
TO receive encouiums and to become a SUBJ
ject for great and swelling Orations upon the
iniquity OF monopoles in general The edi-
tor was SO astonished that he forgot his man
ners, and commenced the article with
the polite assertion: There appears
to be a deal of loose and careless
thinking in the present legislature
''Georgesm!' That is a term OF dreadful
import. so the paper evidently supposes. 1t
is Henry George that has given occasion for
this new word ana we do wonder how he will
feel when he learns that he has sinued
in this ominous way. viii he, can he, sur
yive?''
Our Mr.. Lucas has, according to the paper,
made himself responsible for introducing
"Georgesm" into the legislature. He says
the people need fuel; that the coal monopo-
lies and the railroads united have
put it out OF the power of numbers
of our poorer people to buy it, and he pro-
poses that government shall assert its right
of eminent domain, take possession of the
mines (Of course with compensation to the
owners and thus save multtudes from suf-
.1ering and death. This trightens the editor
and he proceeds to show that Mr.. Lucas must
favor taking possession of all the lands in the
country, also.
This is a non sequitur The proposition to
take possession of the coal mines with COM
pensation) is no more radical than the taking
of private lands for public purposes, for
railway tracks or for any great public OBJ
ject. The only question is in regard to the
necessity or eXpediency of doing so. 1t is
generally agreed that the government should
allow individuals to manage their own bust
ness according to thei" own pleasure. 1t is
universally agreed that the government has
the right to take life, contScate property, pay
for it u Id use it, and generally TO do all
things that may seem to it right and proper
when the public welfare is at stake. The
paper observes: "If there ought to be no
private ownership of coal mines, neither
should there be Of water power rights, or of
salt works, or Of mines Of iron or copper, or,
in the last analysis, of land ITSELF This s
the wrong sort of doctrine for the press to
preach, il it Is really opposed to Henry
Georges land theory. Take the salt works
illustration. Let few men obtain control of
all the salt works and mines; let them close
those works and mines and say to the people,
.tYOu must wait ear or two for salt"-how
quick and decisive would be the response.
The mines would be opened in day, and all
the people would say amen. Convince the
people that land is as essential for their i'm
mediate use as wood and coal, and they would
all be "Georgeists' or something similar.
The TACT that coal, salt and land are not used
as private property TO the ext, N t of abso-
IuteIy depriv.ng the people of the right and
ability to use them, is the only reason why
they are not all taken possession of by gov
eminent. So long as the proprietors of these
God-given things are not mad-so long as
they are merely content to rob the people by
high prices and high rentS-they may be
endured But let them declare that they
close their mines as well as their hearts, and
allow the people to suffer. and then see the
result 1t would take millions of such anti
naeorgeism editorials to shake the deter
nination of one single citizen of good
s7esmon sense and human feeling.
me monopolists are substantially mad,
anu herein is salvation, Mrs. Elizabeth Bar
rett Browning. after mentioning several in
stances in which such despots as the Bona
parties were mad ''just III the nick OF time, -
applied her illustrations to the contest then
going on in this country. and exclaimed,
s.Thank God. the shareholders were mad just
in the nick of time So with the coal mo-
nopolists and their friends-they are all mad,
or rapidly becoming so. Go on, Mr.. Lucas;
get your memorial to congress through the
legislature and we will remember you at the
polls. 20 AHEAD.
minneapolis, Jan. go.